Clothes-line reel.



PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALLAN R. STEVENS, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

CLOTHES-LINE REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 777,926, dated December 20, 1904.

Application {fl d March 14, 1904. Serial 110. 197,927.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLAN R. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Reels, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved clothes-line reel of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction designed to be quickly and easily attached to or detached from a support, so that when the clothes-line is reeled the entire device may be removed from the support.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out inmy claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of the complete device. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 shows a detail side view of the pawl and ratchet.

The frame of the machine, which is preferably cast complete in one piece, comprises two parallel sides 10, connected at one end by an arched end piece 11, provided with a hook 12, and connected at their other ends by an arched end piece 13. At the center of the arch 13 is a solid cross-piece 14 and two arms 15 and 16, parallel with each other and spaced apart from the part 14 to form an eye through which a clothes-lines may pass. The arms 15 and 16 provide means by which a clothes-line may be inserted into the eye or removed therefrom without running the end of the clothes-line through said eye. However, the clothes-line is firmly retained in the eye unless a portion of the line is bent laterally enough to permit it to enter between the end of one of said arms and the body of the other arm. Supported between the sides 10 is the hollow axle 17 having an integral crank 18 at one end and a journal 19 at its other end. The sides 10 are provided, respectively, with an opening large enough to admit the entire hollow axle and an opening to admit the journal 19. Hence the hollow axle may readily be inserted in the frame and rotatably supported therein and held in position by the pin 20. Formed in the hollow axle 16 near one end is a slot 21, relatively wide at one end and narrow at the other. This slot provides means whereby a clothes-line may be readily attached thereto, as follows: A knot 22 is formed on one end of the clothes-line 23, and this knot is passed through the wide part of the slot 21, and then .the line is moved to bring the knot against the narrow end of said slot. Then when the line is wound upon the axle it is securely held and may be readily detached by simply pulling the clothes-line into the wide part of the slot, so that the knot may pass through it. I have formed on the large end of the hollow axle a ratchet-wheel 2 1, engaged by pivoted gravity-pawl 25.

I have provided for protecting the clothesline contained upon the hollow axle, as follows: The numeral 26 indicates a hollow sheetmetal cylinder having ends 27 riveted to the inner faces of the side pieces 10. At one side of the hollow cylinder adjacent to the arched end 13 is an opening covered by hinged door 28, having on its inner surface a felt lining 29, designed to prevent the entrance of dust or moisture when the hinged door is closed. The door may beheld in its closed position by a loop 30 on the cylinder, engaged by a hook 31 on the hinged door. In the construction of my device the frame may be cast complete in one piece, the axle, crank, and ratchet-wheel may be cast in one piece, and the sheet-metal cylinder may be made complete, and then the three parts may be readily, quickly, and easily assembled, so that the device is quite inexpensive.

In use I attach a clothes-line to the reel, as follows: A knot is formed on one end of the line and passed through one end of the slot 21. Then the crank 18 is turned and the line reeled upon the hollow axle. In' putting up the clothes-line the operator carries the reel and attaches the end of the line to a stationary support provided for it in the usual way.

He then removes the pawl 25 from engagel I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ment with the ratchet-Wheel and carries the reel to a support intended for the other end of the line. The hollow axle will rotate freely and permit the rope to pay out. Then the hook 12 is placed in engagement with a screweye or staple provided for it. This may be readily done, because sufficient slack is left in the line for this purpose. Then pawl 25 is placed in engagement with the ratchetwheel, and the crank 18 is turned until the line is stretched tight. The frame of the reel will beheld in position in alinement with the clothes-line, and the clothes-line will support the outer end of said frame, so that the frame is firmly supported and the operator may easily manipulate the crank, although the only connection between the reel and the support is the single hook 12. hen it is desired to remove a line, the operator first re leases the pawl 25 and then permits an axle 17 to rotate several revolutions until the line is loose enough to permit the detachment of hook 12 from its support. Then the operator carries the reel and manipulates the crank 18 until the line is wound up with the reel. Then the cover 28 may be closed, and hence the entire line is protected from the dust and moisture and is stored in a comparatively small space, and the reel may be easily and readily carried.

Having thus described my invention, what of the United States therefor, is-

1. An improved clothes-line reel, comprising a frame having parallel sides and arched ends, one of said arched ends formed with a hook, the other with an eye, one side of the arch forming the eye, comprising a solid connecting-piece and the other side comprising two arms spaced apart, an axle mounted in the sides, and a crank on the axle.

2. An improved clothes-line reel, comprising a frame cast complete in one piece and comprising parallel sides, one having a relatively large opening at its center and the other a small opening, an arched end connecting the sides and formed with a hook, another arched end connecting the sides, formed with an eye, one side of which is solid and the other formed with two parallel arms spaced apart, a hollow axle having at one end a journal and at its other end a ratchet-wheel and a crank, and also formed with a tapered slot, a cylindrical sheet-metal cover secured to the parallel sides inclosing the axle and having an opening therein, a hinged cover for the opening, and a pawl pivoted to the frame to engage the ratchet-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

ALLAN R. STEVENS.

Witnesses: J. RALPH ORWIG, S. F. GHRIsTY, 

